Tuesday 24 January 2012

~Teapot and Teacup gardening~

Succulent plants, such as sempervivums ('houseleeks') are ideal for container planting in
vintage crockery odds and ends.  I have a stone trough outside planted up with succulents and alpines, but they are also ideal plants for sunny indoor windowsills - mine are happy in an unheated conservatory in Winter, and spend June to October outdoors in a sunny spot. 
From one of our 'miscellaneous boxes' from a local auction (£1 for a box of random old pots and kitchenalia) came this gorgeous old teapot, missing it's lid. It's a beautiful Gibson's Staffordshire pottery teapot in an unusual hexagonal shape. I used a well-draining planting mix of 50/50 horticultural grit and compost, and just repotted the offsets that my other sempervivums have grown.  They root easily and soon grow over the container sides.  This one flowered beautifully in the summer...

If you look closely you can see the spindly roots that the baby plants are sending out.
I do the same with pretty teacups...

...dressing the tops with grit for drainage. I don't drill holes in the china - just make sure you hardly water them - do not overwater them or they will rot. They make lovely home-made presents too, or for a fund-raising plant stall. Does anyone else plant up bric-a-brac odds and ends?

12 comments:

  1. What a fantastic idea! These look great, Sally! I agree that they'd make a lovely homemade pressie - I may give it a try. Thanks for the tip!!! :-)
    Carly
    x

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  2. Hi Sally, I love the houseleeks and other succulents.You can virtually neglect them.I have got a mag that I bought last year suggesting you grow similar plants in pottery, the example they gave was an old gravy boat and I just so happen to have one that I got from the boot sale last year! Yours look gorgeous,I am planning on doing the same this year X

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  3. What a fab idea! Almost a little mini rock garden in a teacup....or teapot...or whatever is hanging around really! Very effective and a lovely gift as you suggest and one I shall certainly try, thanks.

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  4. I have quite a few of these plants and regularly pick out the baby plants to repot. What a good idea to use odd pieces of bric a brac. They look lovely.

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  5. What a beautiful idea. I have a few odd vintage teacups that are too pretty to hide away - I think you have just given me a very good idea.

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  6. What a fantastic idea, they look beautiful

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  7. This is a lovely idea Sally, bit like the candles in tea cups but more interesting as you get to watch the plants grow. I have used an old tall coffee pot for dried flowers before but not thought of real plants. Perhaps it would work for some herbs?
    I saw something in a charity shop in Beverley yesterday which made me think of you. It was a set of small plates which are the same as your sandwich platter on your Jan 11th post, I think there were about 8 plates for £7 from RealAid.
    The teapot looks really stunning with the way you've arranged the succulents.

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  8. Those are SO pretty! What a fantastic idea. Jx

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  9. Thankyou for all the lovely comments! xx

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  10. Love these - so pretty. I planted a spider plant in an old tea pot which had lost its lid. I love plants growing in unusual objects but yours are the prettiest I have even seen!

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  11. Hey Sally, love your tea cup and tea pot gardens really pretty! Just been cheking out your blog list too, you follow some really lovely blogs
    ... and as always loving the new header! xx

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  12. Oh this is marvellous. I love it. I am moving to a new place with lots of window space, can perhaps try this when I get there.

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Please feel welcome to get in touch or leave a comment - I really appreciate it. Sally x